Frustrated by lack of action from our current goverment after a face to face meeting with MLA Douglas Horne and my less than enthusiastic response from an email to the premiers office I have decided to write an open letter for all to read and hear our goverments response.

Please note!!

I will address this as an open letter and publish your response in every eco-outdoors related forum I can think of to get your answer out to the voting public

I find it quite unfortunate that rather than addressing an issue that is not only clearly wrong due to the extreme and excessive cruelty involved there is a terrible ecological impact from depleting sharks stocks that are soon going to be felt on our planets oceans. The only thing gained from the fining of sharks, be it at sea or from the bodies when brought to shore as required by law in many countries is a simple bowl of soup. There is nearly no other use for these wonder full creatures, and nearly all of the shark is wasted. Much of the time these creatures meet their fate by drowning on the ocean floor or slowly bleeding to death.

I have all my life as a small business owner aligned my political views with our current provincial government, that being said, I find that I can not sacrifice morality for the sole reason of a perceived better economic environment. There truly is no grey area in this issue and if our current government does not see the urgent need for change I shall request an audience with Adrian Dix. To be frank I believe that the Liberal party desperately needs to be seen as more than just the champion of the business community but also needs to fight to gain the environmental movement as well. In 18 months you are going to be put to the test of your lives and being on the right side of an important issue like this can only serve to help.

If you at all doubt public perception and sentiment I leave you with these facts.

In 2011 California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington state all banned the sale of shark fin products.

4 communities in Ontario have all said no to fins including Canada's largest city.
Brantford,Mississagua, and Oakville all vote 100% to support this and Toronto was a whopping 38-4. My own gathering of info in preparing a petition has nearly everyone saying they would sign it.

Nothing short of an audience with our premier Christy Clark or some indication that our current government is getting the message will satisfy me. If needed I can be reached at 604 616 xxxx and will be glad to work with in any schedule she may have. If necessary I am prepared to travel to Victoria to present the case at her convience.

Once again thank you for your time

Jeff Congram

On a positive note I have been getting great response from all potential and incumbent Port Moody city councillours to hopefully at least get the ball rolling with a municipal ban. This would be the first in B.C and hopefully a step in the right direction to end this horribly cruel and wastefull trade in our province

Longtime incumbent Gerry Nutall has said he would suppourt this and has gave me advise on how to bring it before council. I will put together a petiton in the coming weeks and bring this before them after the November 19 election.

I will publish the response if I get one on this thread from our provincial goverment. Last time it took a couple weeks.

I wonder if shark-fin soup could be banned at the municipal level? Perhaps you can make it an election item for Nov 19th?

Yes it can be, 4 seperate Ontario cities did just that and Port Moody has on it's own banned chemical pesticides. I am trying to get the question put before them during the candidates debates and will be meeting with another active member of the community next week to plan stradegy. Anyone in Port Moody voting please consider Gerry Nutall, he is backing this issue. I will post more names as I get to know the candidates out here better for anyone in Port Moody that feels this cause is worthy.

Christy will get an impaired charge befor that ever happens. If your of Asian descent and #1 son is getting married, shark fin is the go to for a "happy honeynoon".[:I] Give the blushing bride some oysters and the table's set.[^]

Of course I'm joking though[)]. Good luck with it. Why not seal fin soup eh? Lots of those around.